"Chump Change", John & Dan Fante: father to son

Chump Change- Dan Fante

We believe that dying is hard, but dying is not important. What is difficult is to live as everything dies around us.

After making a post about U2 songs that served me as an excuse to go back to some personal favourites from the Irish band, I finished this book. And I can't help thinking how much it reminds me to their tune "Dirty Day" from Zooropa.

"Chump Change" is the first book translated into Spanish of Dan Fante, the son of John Fante, the fantastic American writer, who was completely neglected on his time, long forgotten and surprisingly (thanks to writers like Bukowski who praised his work) recovered and recognized as he deserved only recently. This first book of his son doesn't hide a bit its nature (replacing Fante with Dante): an homage to the lost father, an a gut-wrenching tale of redemption.

Entertainment might be an option for some, but to be called real literature, to me it has to grab you. Literally. I do believe that John Fante would agree with me. And I bet his son does too, 'cause "Chump Change" doesn't need more than a couple of pages to have you diving in the story. From starters, you might want to surface, because what you under the dark waters is freaking scary, but at the same time you know you will keep reading. Even more knowing the story is real.

A big part of the impact of the book resides on how Dan Fante's writes. It could be defined as minimalism, but his prose seems effortless while at the same time is so powerful and clear. Think on his father, or on Bukowski, and you'll be close. Think on the so-called "dirty realism". But on the roughest, merciless version of it. Fante's talent to put into words this monstrous drunk nightmare is mesmerizing. Smell the booze, breath Los Angeles. Or better said, feel his suffocation in L.A.

Yet what makes the book stand-out is the ability of Fante of being compelling despite being so unbelievably raw. "Chump Change" doesn't create an heroic literary alter-ego, but a coward, one that might prefer self-destruction instead of confronting its fears. A very human coward, one that is scared of death, and that is afraid of, and going back to U2's "Dirty Day", "hold onto something so tight/You've already lost it". But time doesn't give second chances. John Dante's time is running out, and Bruno, the son, despite the bitterness, the failure and the disappointment they both shared ("there's no blood thicker than ink"), will have one last opportunity of showing his feelings and start life again. I would only add four more words to this: chapter 17, real emotion. Quoting U2 one last time:

A work that's never done
Father to son

Superb book

SCORE: 8/10

The haunted castle: The National's best performance

Oh, summer mornings when you are a bit lazy to do anything... But sometimes you end checking, by chance, a series of old videos you didn't see when they were made public (May 2010). In this Pitchfork.tv series, "The Castle Rock Sessions", The National play three songs from "High Violet" at an abandoned castle on the Hudson River. The building, in the middle of the woods, seems to affect the sound, providing the music an otherworldly energy. Might be the best performances I have seen (goosebumps with "Little Faith") of these songs, and intertwined with the amazing visuals the location provides, it makes a haunting experience.

"Terrible Love"


"Anyone's Ghost"


"Little Faith"


The National. Since "Alligator", the best band on the planet.

The Best U2 songs: and alternative playlist

On Saturday 30th of July, in Moncton, Canada, U2 finished the U2360º tour with a concert that included Arcade Fire as supporting slot. Two years after opening up in Barcelona in June, 2009, the Irish played the final show of their record-breaking tour of 110 concerts in 30 countries across 5 continents. Money issues aside (almost 500 million euros, becoming the most successful tour of all time), Rolling Stone magazine jump in the occasion asking its readers to vote their favourite songs from the band. This were the results:

Best U2 songs (RS readers) 

10. New Year's Day
9. Beautiful Day
8. All I Want Is You
7. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
6. Pride (in the Name of Love)
5. With or Without You
4. Sunday Bloody Sunday
3. Where the Streets Have No Name
2. Bad
1. One

Hard to complain (two-three exceptions) to an almost immaculate list of universal classics. But being a long-time, hard-core fan of the band, I felt somewhat forced to propose an alternative, of course very personal best-of, a bit less obvious, avoiding their most well-known tunes, in order to prove, recognize and celebrate the legacy of a band with more of 30 years of great music behind. Hope you enjoy the playlist!

1. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me
2. A Sort of Homecoming
3. In a Little While
4. The Ground Beneath Her Feet
5. Stay (So Faraway, So Close)
6. Gone
7. Running to Stand Still
8. Dirty Day
9. Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
10. Tomorrow
11. Please
12. In God's Country
13. No Line On the Horizon
14. Love is Blindness
15. One Tree Hill

The Ladies of Indie are coming back!

August starts with new songs and announcements from some of my favourite singer/songwriters. Ready for some videos?

My beloved Basia Bulat has to come back (hopefully very soon) with a new album. While we wait for it, here's a new song (although we were lucky to hear in Barcelona), premiered with a stunningly simple yet brilliant video (courtesy of the talented people from Yours Truly). Great as always.

BASIA BULAT "IT CAN'T BE YOU" from Yours Truly

After many listens, I'm still undecided about this one. "Do You Remember" is the first single from Ane's Brun forthcoming album "It All Starts with One", that will be out this autumn. The video (first chapter from a short film based on her music) is pretty curious. Have your say!

Ane Brun - Do You Remember (Official Video)

I told you it wouldn't be the last time I would thank Eardrumsmusic. Gospel Music is not a new album, but a project from Black Kids' Owen Holmes. His first release, on 2010, was the EP “Duettes”, featured lovely duets with Shirley Simms (Magnetic Fields), Darren Hayman, SoKo and Cassie Ramone (Vivian Girls) and Tracyanne Campbell from Camera Obscura on this delicious song, "Automobile"!


The fantastic and criminally underrated Irish songstress Gemma Hayes released her fourth album, "Let It Break", at the end of May. I finally had the chance of checking the record, and all I can do is recommend you to do the same. Emotional and intense tunes, like on this "Shock to My System" one of the gems of the album.


A couple of announcements to end the post. Another Irish lady, the lovely Lisa Hannigan has her new album finished and set to release in September. It's going to be called "Passenger". And last, Feist has confirmed her return after the huge success of "The Reminder". "Metals" will be out in October 4. And if you have artistic talents and feel like painting, you can change the colours of the album cover in her facebook page for special prizes....

Discoverer 16: new indie findings

After a short break, we go back to our Sunday proposals!

Be Like Pablo. Thanks, again (and won't be the last time!) to an Eardrumsmusic recommendation I have discovered this ridiculously addictive indie-pop meets power-pop band from North Eastern Scotland. They only have two singles released (the latest just out now), but the four songs we know of them to date are so irresistibly catchy that their inclusion here was a must. I have had "Spirit of Adventure" and "Julianne" on repeat all week. I will add just one more thing. We want more songs! We need more songs!



She Keeps Bees. From Brooklyn, New York, comes the duo of Jessica Larrabee (vocals and guitar) and Andy LaPlant (drums). Active since 2006, this year they have released "Dig On", their third record (counting Larrabee's solo debut). Brilliant and thrilling material, under the territory of blues-rock and alternative-rock that reminds to the best Cat Power or can compare to PJ Harvey. Try "Saturn Return" (to name one song) and convince yourself. Larrabee's voice is one of the discoveries of the year for me. Magnetic music.


Release the Sunbird. Our third proposal comes from a pretty famous indie musician: Zach Rogue. After nearly 10 years leading Rogue Wave, he envisioned a different project. In his own words, a “Sunday morning kind of record, the kind of campfire, sitting-on-the-back-deck-of-your house feeling”. "Come Back to Us", just released, is these album. Recorded in Bloomington, Indiana, with the help of local musicians, in which vocalist Kate Long stands out with her vocals, contributing to create the superb harmonies of the album. A relaxed, sunny and lovely folkie affair.
Release The Sunbird- Come Back To Us
Release The Sunbird - Always Like The Son

10.000 visits and a summertime playlist!!

With the previous post the blog has reached the landmark (at least a personal landmark) of 10.000 visits.

THANKS TO EVERYONE! More to come, hope you enjoy.

To celebrate, and because August is almost here, and we have started our holidays, here's a happy compilation, a playlist for summer (despite today's awful weather). No special rules, just the intention of collecting some killer (some favourites here) and joyful tunes for you. Thanks again!

1. Summertime- The Zombies
2. Tonight I Have to Leave It- Shout Out Louds
3. Bang!- The Raveonettes
4. Summer's Here- The School
5. The Sun, the Trees- Russian Red
6. In the Sun- She and Him
7. You're In Love With the Sun- The Very Most
8. Mr. E's Beautiful Blues- Eels
9. If Looks Could Kill- Camera Obscura
10. Get Outta Town!- Lucky Soul
11. Fonz You!- Monkey Swallows The Universe
12. Western Hospitality- Club 8
13. Crazy for You- Best Coast
14. Summer Hits or J+J Don't Like- Mazes
15. Times Table- The Hi-Life Companion
16. Everybody Come Down- The Delgados
17. Another Sunny Day- Belle and Sebastian
18. Fluorescent Adolescent- Arctic Monkeys
19. Take Me Somewhere- Tennis
20. July, July!- The Decemberists
21. Go Outside- Cults

"Midnight in Paris", romantic search of our Golden Age

Midnight in Paris

So happy to see the maestro is back. After quite a while (wouldn't call it a long wandering in the wilderness thanks to "Whatever Works" and some glimpses of genius in "Hollywood Ending", "Anything Else" or "Scoop" saving his filmography of the new millennium) Woody Allen's returns to form with a film that has magic and tons of charm. Allen is inviting you to a very special party. An invitation to a moveable feast in the city of lights. Would you like to come? Fun is granted.

As I really encourage you to watch this film, I'll try not to spoil its argument, because revealing something will kill part of its magic. So just let me ask you one question: what if you have the chance of  living your dream?

"Midnight in Paris" has three sides. One is the comical, on which Allen's ability for one-liners finds new peaks a couple of times (the "surrealist" scene goes directly to his best-of). Second, and inevitable being Woody in Paris, is the romantic side. In here, Allen triumphs (again, 'cause is something seen before) thanks to the bewitching (only comparable, although completely different in the story, with "Manhattan") way in which he films the city (credit to his artistic team), light-years from the advertising campaign of Barcelona in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" or his London films, but in particular thanks to the plot, close to a delicious absurdity/delirium, and the "real" innocence on the characters where the love story appears. All in all, it is brilliantly summarized on a night walk by Gil and Adriana through the Parisian rain. And third side, the most substantial, is an absorbing reflection on nostalgia and the idealization of past times. Thought-provoking and even self-referential (the New Yorker's filmmaker qualifies as a nostalgic himself).

Allen explores this subject with a refreshing grace for the majority of the film, but makes the mistake of stressing too much the message he wants to give, the only life worth living is our present, in a key scene near the end. This, the weak start with an unnecessary and overlong shooting of Paris' most touristic places before we see the recurrent, trademark credits of his movies, and the poor treatment of Inez's character (Rachel McAdams), too unidimensional to be credible (doing what she does near the end), are the few aspects that prevent "Midnight in Paris" from ranking alongside Allen's masterpieces.

Because everything else is light-hearted and fascinating (music, photography, plot, rhythm). Cast helps to make the film sweet and substantial. From the secondary (on top the funniest Adrien Brody) to the important roles, where Marion Cotillard does an impersonation of the muse every artist desires full of magnetism, but also going beyond the archetypical cliché, as she has her own dreams to follow. Owen Wilson deserves a separate mention. Having the task of impersonating Allen on screen, he is the first actor that in doing so creates a different character. His Gil aspires to be a writer, but leaves aside neurosis and hypochondria to offer a genuinely romantic, dreamy and innocent character. His performance is honest, nailing the sense of wonder, surprise and adventure with just a face.

"Midnight in Paris" entertains, makes you laugh, gives some lessons (on art and about life) and connects with the public in a special, haunting way. Is the sort of film (although its minor imperfections) that makes you ingratiate not just with Woody, but with cinema, again.

SCORE: 8/10